Does anyone know how to keep a Blue and Gold Macaw Quiet?

Question

I'm having a rough time with my Blue and Gold winged Macaw. He's very friendly and loves to be around people as long as he's with me of course. But that's the problem, it's when I'm not around. Every time I go somewhere or leave to do something he screams. I can tolerate when he gives a few yells when I leave or when I put him to bed or maybe a few screams while I'm gone but not the whole time I'm gone. Lately when I've been away I come home to find out he has been yelling non stop. And I know he wants attention but I can't always give him attention. I go to school and I'm not always home but when I get home I hear it from my family that he was screaming and they weren't successful in calming him. I've had countless complaints from the neighbors of his screaming and today was my last straw. And sad to say if he doesn't quiet down I'm going to have to get rid of him. Which I really don't want to do, but it's getting really out of control.Toys isn't a problem. I'm just out of ideas.HELP!

Answer 1

Macaws are very loud animals, one of the loudest birds you can get outside of an umbrella or moluccan cockatoo...

I feel your pain because my own macaw will scream when I leave and as soon as she hears me come home she starts again. Who knows if it goes on all day or not.

Screaming is one of those behaviors that is easier prevented than fixed. Please if you choose to play the TV or radio near her, don't blare it. She will only compete for noise. It may help, just don't blare it. You said your family is at home while you are gone and they say she screams? Is she in the same room as the family or is she alone in your room? Is it possible to put her on a perch (the back of a chair or something similar if you don't currently have one) where all of the family is so that she feels like a part of the flock?

You can't really do anything when you aren't home (save making sure your family doesn't encourage the behavior while you are away by running to the bird each time it screams). Don't cover her with a sheet. They need regular schedules, day hours and night hours...covering in the middle of the day is kind of mean and they wont understand why it is being done. When she screams while you are home but not in the room, don't run to her. Hard as it is ignore her. Talk softly to her. never raise your voice back at her or yell. You have to understand that the screaming means they want attention (which you already know), either good or bad attention. Birds are huge fans of the dramatic. When you get all flustered and upset they love it.

When she talks to you, maybe when she says, "Hello", or something else, run to her right away. Praise her and let hr know she is a good girl. She will be thinking 'hey, she came running when I said hello.' Keep doing this. Your bird will hopefully learn that screaming gets her nowhere, but when she says "Hello" everyone comes running. Now, you may get tired of hearing "hello" all of the time, but it's better than screaming.

Answer 2

Birds scream - it's what they do. Leave music on or the tv - it really helps and if you're near (in another room) the bird - don't respond to the screaming. Before the bird can scream, call out just to let him know where you're at. He's looking for you and if you're not there to tell him where you're at, he'll keep screaming. A quiet place means a predator is near, noise (like the tv or radio) makes the atmosphere more 'natural' so to speak. Covering the cage during daytime hours screws with the birds photoperiod and could cause him psychological issues as well as sexual issues as birds bodies prepare to breed or not to breed by how much light they get each day.

Answer 3

The macaw probably thinks of you as its mate so it dose not understand when you leave it alone so long. You might want to find it another blue and gold macaw to bond with. Or if you really have to, sell it to a breeder. Try www.mytoos.com they might help you.

Answer 4

Macaws are generally one of the loudest parrots. If he had learned to be loud, then it will be hard to untrain him if he is an adult now. Not much you can do except distract him with TV or music or turn off the lights and cover the cage with a blanket. Or move to somewhere where people will tolerate the noise.

Answer 5

Ok I know what to do.

I HAD this problem with my Goffins Cockatoo Coconut

When Coconut didnt scream for attention or scream at all for any given length of time I gave her, her favorite food, almonds. Everytime she was quiet I gave her a treat and told her why she got it. Now she is so quiet with her occasional squaks every now and again but its way better than it was before.

If you know your birds favorite food use it as a motivation to make him less noisy. It may take time. It took Coconut about 2 weeks.

I wish you the best of luck and if God forbid you do have to get rid of your bird give it to a reputable avian rescue organization

Answer 6

I HAVE SEEN MANY GREAT ANSWERS AND A FEW SICK ONES. FIRST I DO NOT RECOMMEND COVERING A PARROT FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME AS THIS CAN BE PSYCHOLOGICALLY HARMFUL TO ONE.

SECOND I CAN AGREE THAT THIS IS MORE OF A CONTACT SCREAM AS MY PARROT DID THIS IN THE PAST AND I TAUGHT HIM THAT I WON'T RESPOND TO SCREAMS, BUT INSTEAD TO HELLP WHEN OUT OF SIGHT. NOW HE SAYS SOFTLY HELLO WHEN I AM AWAY.

THIRD I CAN RECOMMEND VIDEOS OF MACAWS AND OTHER PARROTS FOR COMPANY, BUT DO NOT RECOMMEND GETTING ANOTHER MACAW AS THIS COULD LEAVE YOU OUT OF THE LOOP.

MOST PEOPLE DO NOT REALIZE WHAT THEY ARE GETTING THEMSELVES INTO WHEN GETTING PARROTS AND I HOPE THAT IF YOU DO DECIDE YOU CAN NOT CARE ANY LONGER YOU DON'T JUST GIVE YOUR PARROT TO JUST ANYONE TO BE IN THE SAME BOAT AS YOU ARE NOW OR THAT WOULD TORMENT THE MACAW. [AFTER ALL PARROTS ARE HIGHLY INTELLIGENT CREATURES AND HE LOVES YOU.]

Answer 7

you know what i have a scarlet macaw which can scream the loudest out of all the macaws! she gets so much attension but still she loves screaming! there is no way we can get her to stop! but i read in a book that you are sposto talk really softly and quietly then it is sposto calm them down! i hope you get to keep your bird! one more thing if you live in a town home or something that there is only a wall seperating the houses you might not have a nother choice but to get rid of her! because i know if i lived in a town home or something we couldnbt keep her because she is way to noisey. if you wanna talk more email me @ [e-mail]

Answer 8

Try leaving on some music for him. Birds love to listen to and dance to music. Lite rock works very well. Also, be sure he has lots of toys and change them out frequently. Paper towel tubes and cardboard boxes (just make sure there are no staples or any other metal in them) are cheap toys that birds can have a lot of fun tearing apart. Cheerios and fruit loops on a leather string makes a cheap, edible toy.

Answer 9

I'd recomend putting a dark sheet over his cage at night to get him use to seeing that the sheet means bed time and sleep. Then when he is use to it, put it on his cage when you leave, he'll think its bed time and then he won't squawk and scream. My In-Laws have a blue and red Eclectis names Ruby. She does sonic blasts when I'm leaving the house and no one is there, but she only does two. But if i'm there and don't give her attention or she can't see me, she does it again. So she gets covered up like its bed time, and she shuts up.

Answer 10

I would shoot him. Of course I am a dog person but i'll try to help.
I figure a muzzle or duck tape would not help.
Have you tried putting a dark black cover over his cage while your gone, but lots of toys might help, and but a lot of food and water in there. You need to keep him entertained, he has gotton
spoiled i hope u can keep him and sorry i can't be of farther help
good luck
bye